Massage is Part of an Equivalent Exchange

Slap!

Chen Zeyu felt a stinging heat on her face as something was slapped from her head.

“Chen Zeyu, wake up!”

Slap, slap!

Another two slaps, forcefully rousing Chen Zeyu from her slumber.

“What? What is it?”

Chen Zeyu opened her eyes in surprise, realizing she had fallen asleep on the floor.

“You’ve been asleep for almost the entire afternoon! The moment you logged on, you just keeled over. You scared me half to death! You wouldn’t wake up no matter how I called you!” Evetti, kneeling beside her, spoke with an undeniably anxious and louder tone.

“Huh… I slept all afternoon? I remember… yes, I remember…” Chen Zeyu sat up, tapping her temples, trying to recall. Yet, the nightmare she vaguely remembered seemed to have vanished.

“What do you remember? You worried me sick! Come on, let’s go to the hospital for a check-up!”

Evetti took Chen Zeyu’s hand, intending to stand and leave, but her legs instantly went numb and weak from kneeling for too long.

Inevitably, Evetti stumbled uncontrollably into Chen Zeyu, her face ultimately landing on the other woman’s thigh.

“Hiss! My leg, the cushion beneath hit it, and it hurts.”

Chen Zeyu found herself involuntarily serving as a lap pillow. However, she noticed Evetti’s knee; her white stockings were torn, a testament to Evetti’s constant vigil by her side.

“I know, I’ll get up right away! Ugh…”

Evetti struggled to rise from Chen Zeyu’s lap, but the numbness had spread throughout her body. Each movement felt like countless needles pricking her, rendering her utterly immobile.

“You were very worried about me.” Chen Zeyu asked Evetti, though her tone was more one of confirmation.

“Who’s worried about you? I was just afraid something might happen to you, and I’d be held responsible.” Evetti replied with a hint of petulance, attempting to straighten her leg to overcome the numbness, but failing once more.

“Thank you, I’m fine now.” Chen Zeyu moved.

“Fine? Hey, what are you doing?”

Evetti watched wide-eyed as Chen Zeyu acted, deftly scooping her up in a princess carry.

“Evidently, I’m putting you to bed,” Chen Zeyu stated, her expression unreadable.

“?!” Evetti froze, her mind buzzing with confusion.

‘Is she trying to take advantage of me? Damn it, to choose a moment like this!’

Before Evetti could ponder further, Chen Zeyu gently laid her face down on the bed.

“Bear with it for a moment.” With that, Chen Zeyu also got onto the bed, using a sitting posture to press down on Evetti’s small feet, leaving space for the arch.

‘She told me to bear with it, what does she want to do? No, I have to move!’

Evetti tried to move but found that not only was she numb, but cramps were also setting in!

“Guh! D-damn it, why now?”

“So don’t move around. See, you’re cramping again. I’ll give you a massage.”

As Chen Zeyu spoke, her hands began to work on Evetti’s small feet, clad in white stockings.

‘Wait! I haven’t agreed yet!’

Evetti opened her mouth to protest, but a delightful sensation emanated from the soles of her feet.

The technique was powerful, hitting all the right pressure points.

The control of force in her fingertips, both poking and kneading, was absolutely perfect! The numbness and cramps genuinely began to subside, replaced by a profound sense of inner comfort.

Evetti closed her mouth. As the massage deepened, her face flushed.

‘Oh no… oh no, her technique is terribly good!’

“Mmm~” Evetti couldn’t help but let out a comfortable sound.

Chen Zeyu, meanwhile, was completely focused. She observed that Evetti’s small feet could be entirely grasped by both her hands; in her past life, one hand would have been enough. However, those were bygone days.

Chen Zeyu smiled, her hands beginning to move upwards.

From the ankles to the calves, the pressure shifted to a more pushing and kneading motion.

Zzzzz.

The faint friction of stockings against fingers created an ultimate ASMR-like auditory and tactile experience for Evetti.

‘So… such amazing… technique.’

Evetti’s thoughts drifted in and out, knowing only that the numbness and cramps were about to vanish completely.

“Hup, all done.” Chen Zeyu’s technique stopped at the junction of the thigh and calf. She removed her hands that had been pressing on Evetti’s small feet.

“Hoo… hoo.” Evetti didn’t respond immediately; instead, steam seemed to rise from her head, like a freshly steamed bun.

“Hm?” Chen Zeyu crawled next to Evetti’s head and called softly.

“Evetti?”

“Ugh! What, what’s wrong?”

Realizing her body had recovered, Evetti quickly sat up.

“Wow, your face.” Chen Zeyu noticed something: a ripe apple.

“…Turn around, don’t look!” Evetti reached out and covered Chen Zeyu’s eyes directly.

“Ah, ah, I won’t look.” Chen Zeyu indulged Evetti, turning to face the wall.

Observing Chen Zeyu’s utter compliance, Evetti couldn’t help but frown in thought.

‘This person dared to act on her own, and I hadn’t even agreed. But her technique really is good. Perhaps I should let her massage me more often in the future?’

Evetti thought this was a good idea and promptly patted Chen Zeyu’s shoulder.

“Turn back.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I suddenly want to tell you something.”

“Go on.” Chen Zeyu found Evetti’s expression quite relaxed.

“It’s about that, equivalent exchange, you know? We now have a shared home, and I’ve compensated you quite a bit. Shouldn’t you give me something in return?” Evetti blinked, seemingly hinting at Chen Zeyu.

“Uh… indeed. Such an expensive house, given to me for free. What do you think I should do?” Chen Zeyu readily agreed.

“Ahem, well then, listen closely. It’s definitely not because I can’t do without it, but studying magic tomes every day is exhausting, and my body needs to relax. I just discovered that your massage technique is very much to my liking.” Evetti clenched her fist and held it to her mouth, peeking at Chen Zeyu with one eye.

“Oh… oh, oh! My giving you a massage counts as part of the equivalent exchange, right? It’s a small matter, I can do it anytime.” Chen Zeyu nodded.

“Mm, alright. Speaking of which, are you really okay? Do you still need to go to the hospital?” Evetti was still quite concerned about Chen Zeyu’s unconsciousness; it had been quite frightening when it happened so suddenly.

“I don’t think so. It might just be me needing to adapt to this body. Besides, if I go to the hospital, and they find some kind of magic potion component, that would be a big problem.” Chen Zeyu certainly didn’t want the hospital to hold her captive.

“Then it’s settled. You give me massages, and I’ll protect you. I’ll check on you again later.” Evetti clapped her hands on Chen Zeyu’s shoulders, exuding an air of ‘I’ve got your back.’

“Hehe, please take good care of me in the days to come.” Chen Zeyu felt her future looked increasingly promising.

Location: Witch Company.

“I’ve found the source of the data anomaly. It’s helmet number 2387. The player it was assigned to seems to be… Chen Zeyu?!” Lammiell exclaimed, her face filled with astonishment, nearly dropping her magic wand.

“Lammiell, are you kidding me? Chen Zeyu? Where would she get magic power? And at such a Grand Witch level?” Tei Lai remained utterly incredulous. That day, when she had scanned Chen Zeyu’s mind and body, there hadn’t been a trace of magic power!

“Perhaps someone else stole the helmet,” Lammiell analyzed.

“I’ll go check later. Nothing has happened with little Evetti for now, so it seems no Grand Witch has appeared.”